Fruit sizer or grader.



G. Tl PARKER. FRUIT SZEE GR GRDER. APPLIUATIQN umn MAR. :51, 19m

Patented July 1, 1911.

fair @www G. D. ARKER. FRUIT SIZER 0R GRADER, APPLIUATIHN mmm MAR. 31, 1.11m.

Patented July 11, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A pointed out'in claims.V

UNITED 'straf-ras y)enfreint cierren.

ordnen n. Panxnn, or "iingnnsinn, CALIFORNIA.

FRUIT siena on Gamen.

omnes.

To au whom it may concern:

Be it l-mown that I, Geenen D. PARKER, acilizen of the United States, residing at Riverside` in the county of Riverside and State of California, have invented new and useful lm )rovements in Fruit Sizers 0r Graders, o Twhich the following is a specifi cation.

This invention relates to fruit sizers o graders; and it has for its object to provide improvements in sizers or graders for separating fruit into classes-of various sizes and' In the drawings z-Figurc l tudinal side elevation, partly in section and lpartly broken away for clearnei'ssof illustration, of a fruit sizer or grader embed mg the inventiorr; Fig. 2 is a partial or ragmentary to plan View thereof; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail transverse sectional view thereof, partly in full lines and partly broken away for clearness of illustration, the same being taken upon the .sectionl line 3 3,

l? ig. l, looking in the direction-of the ap-4 pended arrows; and, Fig. 4 is a detail isometric view, upon substantially the4 same scaleas that. of Fig. 3, and illustrating in a fragmentary manner an essential feature of the im'entonconsisting of anadjustable grading or sizing element. I

riol

Corresponding parts in all-th.e.figu1es 'are denoted bythe same reference characters..`

Referring with particularity to the drawings, the im roved fruit sizer orV grader co'mprises supp y means A, sizing or grading members B, and feed'fmeans C by which the fruit is conveyed from the supply means to the sizing `or gradin members whence the fruit passes, in accor ance with the sizes thereof. to points of deposit or receptacles such as bins D which, in accordance with the invention, are rovided with adjustable sidewalls d.' whereliy specification of Leitersraze'nt.

appncauon med march '31, 1am. sum1 no, 553,433.

grades of fruit of which they 'vide-imperfect fruit conveyin A- means objects in view,

rights 9 which are -longitudinally and mechanism.

tliesaid bins may beexr;

Patented July 1.1, 1911.

lai-ed or contracted laterally,lor longitudinull of the feed means C; and tho sizing or to 'provide for variations of the sizs or respectively` further ro- "to which is committed such of t -fruit as fis found to be unfit for use with the fruit' passed to the bins D; and the feed means C, supply means A and conveying means E areI permit .passage to the bins D.

jointly actuated by operating means F, the

vgra ing members B are adjustably mounted feed means C being primarily actuated from av suitable prmemover or source of power, as by a belt 5. O erative connections e and f extend respective y from the feed means C to the conveying means' E and the supply means A.

The feed means C preferably comprises two jointly operated members c1 and c which are both connected with a drive mem-- F; and said members c1 an c lmayach comprise auendless belt, said belts traversng adlacentpaths and in theiru per courses lateral portions gkan'd g slightly. ownwardly inclined in opposite directions, from .a horizontal plane; and the sizingor grading members B are arranged in series adjacent to each of the belts c1 and c, being supported upon'adjuncts'of the table or suport G, which latter preferably consistof ongitudinal portions 6, and base'plates 7 for the sizing or grading members B, the same being lap-join'ted, as at 8. The table or support G 1s mounted uponsuitable agonally braced, as at 10, the`su` ports and braces. 9 land 10 being extended aterally to accommodate the bins D whichv are arranged at each side of the table or support -G in aseries longitudinally of the apparatus ori ber c which co-acts with the o erating mean 'u overlying a 'table'or support G avnr two l is a Vlongi- A vpreferred-"form and'l construction ofy parts, members and features entering into vthe embodiment ofthe invention and the' essential Afeatures thereof, -togetherwitll a` preferred combination and association thereof, is as'follows:-`- Y f l s The' endless Vbelts c ando are trained over two pairs ofpulleys, 11. and 12, which are suitably jou'rnaled, as'at-13 and 14're`- 1 spectively, at the 'opposteends 'o f the' 'main frame which. includes the -up'ri'ghts 9 and brace's-1Q;.nd.1 he patleya jpf gpclapair are' i the spaced. apart sumciently to accommodate a sprocket wheels; 15 and 16 respectively, over and around each of which s rocket wheels is trained an' endless link b t 17 which istied to the dat belts c* and c at redeterminedintervals; as at 18, insuring joint and equal movementof said iiat belts and the intermediate'link belt. In the u per courses takenby the flat belts they are rou ht into parallel relation. with and above tie said portions g* and g' of the table G so as to conform to the slight angular relation above described ,and c early shown in Fig. 3,

whereromit results that the fruit conveyed riit is directly fed to the respective sizing n gradin .member by the res ective flat belt; land eagch of the rollers 19 i; provided with-end bearings 20 journaled in `side plates or cheeks 21 of a carriage 22 adjustably mounted upon uprights 23 and A maintained in connection therewith by lin ers 24 which play vertically or substantially vertically uponthe uprights 23; ad ju'stlng means 4b `being Aprovided for the regulatie 'of the elevation of each grading r'oller 1'9 Vith respect to the plane of move-r ment of the respective flat feed belt; said ad- 4justng means consisting, as shown, of adjustng screws 25 passed through openings 'in the singularly directed upper portions 26 ofthe uprights 23 .and entering internally threaded chambers 26* in the carriages 22, or internally threaded openings in cap 13?@827; uponsaid carrie e; said adjust lng screws 25 bein provid d with lock nuts 27 bearing beneat the said upper portions 26 of the uprights 23. The lower tions of-the uprights 23 arevangularly ent in directions opposite of. that of he upper .'pprtions `26 and are bolted, as at 29, to the tespectivobase plate 7, one base plate be provided for each ,pair of'u rights 23; ech base plate 7 is adapte i to be disposed between the respective table or support side section 6- and a side rail SI, one of which rails 'extends at each side of the table or sup- 1 port C,

being` connected therewith at its fend as at 82, and spaced therefrom inter medlately, .the base plates overlapping -the adjacent table or iportketion 6, as aty 8, as above descri lull of the-base plates 7 is chambered at its outer edge portion, as at 34, to receiveg'a. curved leaf` sprin. 33 .which bears tensionally'. aginst they ad jacent rail 31, whereby each base plate and the sizing or grading member B organized as described and mounted thereupon may be adjusted longitudinally of the table or suport C at one side thereof, and tensional y eld in position of adjustment; and the anular end portions 28` of the uprights 23 earinp,r upon the rail 3l maintain the base plate in its vertical location, in combination with the over-lapping joint at 8.

Suitably socketed and bolted to the lower portion of each u right 23, as at 35, is a guide-arm 36 whici projects laterally from the respective base plate 7 toward the next adjacent base plate, from which latter base plate a similar guide-arm 36 project's, both guide arms being joined in overlapping relation, as clearly shown in Fig. 2; and said lguide arms slightly overhang the respective flat belt. fr* or e, at the out-er edge portions of the same, where said guide-arms overlap, being rounded, as at 37, so as not to impede the motion of the fruit as the same is advanced by the belt. The fruit asses beneath each grading roller 19 an between theJnner ends of the guide-arms 36 which are connected with the uprights 23 supporting such grading roller; and similar guidearms 3G project from theuprights 23 next adjacent to the supplymeans A and ernbraee between the 'same the side walls of a chute 39 embraced within the supply means A, which further comprise an endless belt 40 entering the chute 39 and trained about a pulleyll journaled beneath the chute 39 and actuated by the operative connections or belt e. The guide arms 36 extend, in the main, parallel with the course of travel of the fruit as-mved by the feed means C.

The conveying means E for imperfect fruit comprise a' trough or chute 42 mounted upon frame members 9 above and at one side of the feed means C, and an'endless belt 43 which in its upper course moves 'through said trouh or chute and in its lower course beneat the same, passing over an idler pulley t4 beneath the trough; said trained about pulleys 45 and 46 journal beneath the trough, and the latter of which is actuated by the operative connections orbelt f.

The bins D at each side of the machine and the feed` means C thereof, comprise a continuous outer wall 47, a continuous inner wall 48, and a plurality.v of laterali adjustable bin walls d as above recited. lach side wall. d is cut away, as at 4:9, to accommodate the ad'acent rail 31 and tov form a shoulder which is provided with a hanger or sliding bracket 51 having two divergent or ion ics

spaced arms V52 projecting through an elonted alot 53 in the respective fixed longii dinal wall 48 and 'engaging withthe innen, i

face'thveeof; eachiof the arms 52 boina,r p11!-P .lgso ,l

vided th' a depending finger 4.511' engaging tlie inner face of the wall 4S and a depending finger 55 en raging one side of the wall d; and spaced fiiigers 56 dcpendfrom the respectivo arms 51 so as to embrace the wall d at its vertical edge portion, and are secured thereto, as at 57. Each wall d may thus be adjusted longitudinally of the continuous longitudinal biu.walls 47 and 4S,

the lower e ge of the same resting upon the laterally slanting` bin bottom 58, common to the entire bin construction; and the outer vertical edge portion 59 of each bin wall d being cut out, as at to accommodate a buffer or padding 61 upon the respective,

continuous bin wall 47.

' The operation, method of use and adi-'air i tages of the improvements in fruit sizers or graders constituting the invention will be readily understood fromlthe foregoing dcscription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the followingr vstatemeut:-The fruit, such as oranges, is

conducted to the machine or apparatus by the `supply means A, being led along a chute .'59 in a continuous stream to the feed means C,

, ille chute' 39 overlying the fiat belts c1 and 2 at the initial end portions of the upper courses thereof. The fruit stream divides into two parts at the respective sides of the drive member c of the feed means, and the opposite inclinations laterally of the table or support portions 6 and of the belts c1 and c2 lyingr thereon causes the fruit to roll toward the guide-arms 36 embraced within i 'the sizing or grading members' B. As each fruit unit in its movement upon its flat belt is brought to registration with one of the grading rollers 19 and the space between the same and the respective base plate 7 it pa sses beneath such roller and over the respective base plate and into one of the bins D, providingr its diameter is sufficiently small to permit of its passage beneath the i roller, the base plates 7 and the side rails 3l being inclined laterally in common with the table or base portions or sci-tions 6. 'llie carriagcs'QQ and their grading rollers 19 ae adjusted to different heights above their base plates 7 by the adjusting` means b of each, and such adjustment is progressive from the-supply means A toward the other end of the machine or appa raius, each grad -lug roller on each side of the machine being `adjusted to a slightly greater altitude above its base plate than the next adjacent grading roller in the direction of the supply means; y whereby the smallest fruit enters the bins` next adjacent to the supply means, and the successive bins along the sides of the base or table G receive successively larger andv larger sizes of fruit. The number of sizes 'of v,fruit produced in the sizing or'grad- :numbers of ing' operation is manifestly equal to the rading members provided ,at bothsidcs o the apparatus; and one or more of such grading members B may be removed from the apparatus or machine or mechanism, the spaces between the same being taken up by the overlapping guide-arms 3U which conne the fruit to the proper courses of travel. Furthermore', each grading member may beset for the selection' of the particular size or grade number of fruit, by ulilizinir the adjusting means b, and the size ot' eac i bin may be varied by the-ad- .justmeut of its side bin walls d relatively,

additional side walls d being provided when.

Aa large number of small bins are to be utilized in conntion with anincreased V.number of grading o erations. The :fruit as it. falls into the bins rolls or bou'nds along the bin bottom 58 and strikes against the ielding buffer (Sl which prevents injury f t e fruit.

purpose of conducting to one end 'ofthev mechanism or apparatus such imperfect fruit, as may be witlidrawnjfrom the apparatus and thrown into the trough 42 and upon the movingr belt 43 therein.A k The apparatus or mechanism operates positively andrapidlyand with great precision, the fruit supplied thereto being,r autoatl matically selected as to sizepor grade num-` bei' undA segregated 'from the fruit stream within the bin with which the corresponding sizingr or grading member B is associated, all without injury to thefruit.

I do not desire to be. understood as limiting myself 'to the specific provision` construction, forniation,associationand Vrelative arrangement of parts, members and features shown and described` but reserve the right to vary the same, in adapting the improvements to varying conditions of use` without departing from the spirit of the invention and 'the terms of the following' claims. V

Having thus described my invention, l claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent:-

l.. Tina fruit sizer or grader. aipluralitv of adjustable sizing-i,r 4or grading members,

means for feeding fruit successively to the saine, and co-acting guide-arms bet-Ween and connected with the sizing or grading menibers.

2. In a fruit szer or grader, a. plurality of adjustable sizin or .grading members, meansl for feeding ruit successively tothe same. .and overlapping guide-arms between 4the same in overlapping relation.

4. In a. fruit sizer or grader, means for feeding the fruit in a predetermined eem-se of travel, a plurality of detachable adjnst able Sizing or grading-members arranged at one side of suoli course of travel. and guidearms respectively connected with the. sizing Q1 grading members and extending between the samein overlalrping relation and sub- `Stuntially parallel with the course of travel of the fruitas moved by -the feed means.

5. In a fruit Sizer or grader, ya table or su ort, means for feeding fruit alongsaid tagl ol' Su port, a rail extending at one side of said tab e or support, a base plate detachably mounted upon said rail andwlpon said tabe vor supportI beneath said feel means.l means tensionally holding the base plate in position, and a sizing or grading member mounted upon said base pla-te.

(3. In a fruit. izer or grader, a. table or support, means for feeding fruit along said table or su port., a rail extending at one side of said tab e or support, a base plate ad'ustably detachablynlounted upon said rai and upon said table 'or Sup rtbeneath said feed means, a sizing or rac ing member mounted u on saidbase pate, and tension means yxeldingly holding said base plate in position of adjustment.

T. In a fruit sizer or grader, aplnrality of relatively adjustable sizing or grading members, means for feeding 'fruit successively te the same, and a plurality of bins arranged to receive fruit in accordance with the relative adjustment of the sizing or grading members; said sizin or grading members beinl mounted for at justment longitudinally o the fruit feedingr means. 8. In a fruitfsizer or grader, a plurality of sizing ortgrading members, means for feeding fruit ,successively to the same, and

cti-acting guide-arms between the s-:izin or lgrading members latersllly of the fruit eedingr means.

ln testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specilieatien in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE n.. PARKER.

Witnesses: y

RAYMOND I. BLAKESLEE, F. A. Mansrlntn. 

